Mercedes squad complete: Juncadella gives DTM-Comeback

Daniel Juncadella will be back in the DTM in the 2018 season after a one-year break from the DTM race – Mercedes driver squad complete

Last place is taken: After Pascal Wehrlein, Daniel Juncadella will also return to the DTM. The Spaniard returns to the cockpit of his Mercedes-AMG C 63 DTM after a year of DTM break. Last year, Daniel completed a double role as DTM substitute driver for the team and with races in the Mercedes in the VLN, the Blancpain GT Series and the 24 Hours at the Nürburgring.

“It’s a great feeling to be back in the DTM races this year,”says Juncadella,”After a year of DTM break I’m really hot to get back in the car. Due to my GT missions I continued to collect racing practice last year and as a test and replacement driver I was always close to the team throughout the whole season. This makes me very familiar with the new generation of vehicles and the changes in the DTM rules. Now I am happy that I can finally drive DTM races again. I never really finished with the DTM and always had the feeling that I had beaten myself below value. I want to settle this bill now.”

Juncadella is not a stranger in the DTM. Between 2013 and 2016 he competed for four seasons for the brand with the star in the DTM. He clinched 75 points in 56 races. Due to his role as a test and replacement driver, he was always close to the action in 2017 and was an integral part of the team throughout the year.

“Daniel knows our team very well from the past years and he was also involved as a test and replacement driver on the race weekends in 2017,”says Mercedes DTM team boss Ulrich Fritz,”so he doesn’t need much time to get used to it. He knows the car and the team members from the past and fits seamlessly into the team. I am convinced that he will support the team very well this season with his experience and speed.”